James Fisher Defense Opens Facility in Sweden
James Fisher Defense opens new swimmer delivery vehicle manufacture and maintenance facility in Sweden
James Fisher Defense (JFD) has opened a new facility in Vaxholm, Sweden, JFD’s international base for the manufacture and maintenance of the company’s SEAL Pod range of Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (SDVs).
The new facility is the headquarters of JFD Sweden and includes over 800 square meters of manufacturing space, providing the scale and infrastructure required for the simultaneous assembly of multiple SDVs. With a fully integrated design and manufacturing capability, designers and engineers are able to operate more effectively and efficiently throughout the manufacturing process, ensuring the highest safety and quality standards.
The layout of the new facility allows various manufacturing processes such as Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) handling, metal work, carpentry, hydraulics and electrical work to take place in isolation. An overpressure room allows safe handling of sensitive electrical equipment in a contamination free environment. On-site training facilities and ready access to the water front provides JFD’s customers with training, trials and demonstration opportunities.
“The new facility allows us to increase our manufacturing capacity and broaden the depth of our skills in order to meet a growing global demand for highly capable swimmer delivery vehicles,” said Fredrik Hillelson, Managing Director, JFD Sweden. “Operating from this new facility enables JFD to continue to deliver the highest possible standards in capability, safety and quality, whilst also nurturing an environment committed to innovation, and ensuring that the customer is receiving the best possible products and services.”
JFD supplies SDVs for covert operations in markets including special forces, law enforcement, counterterrorism, maritime protection and mine countermeasures.
JFD launched its range of SDVs, known as The SEAL Pod, in 2013. The range encompasses surface or subsea craft, which can be optimized for a particular deployment method or mission profile and can be provided in a number of configurations:
- SEAL Carrier; surface and subsurface vehicle operating at speeds greater than 30 kts delivered by surface ship or air-drop.
- Sub SEAL; six-man submersibles delivered via an attachment to the casing of a submarine
- Torpedo SEAL; a two-man chariot delivered within a standard submarine torpedo tube